Device for protecting artificial flowers on women&#39;s outer garments



INVENTOR. K/BBY GEROW/M BY firmer/E7. I

K. GEROWIN DEVICE FOR PROTECTING ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS ON WOMEN'S OUTER GARMENTS Filed June 1'7, 1955 Nov. 19, 1957 United St This invention relates to a device for protecting artificial flowers that are attached to womens outer garments and has for a main object the provision of a spring cup-like member having a bottom hole formed therein adapted to engage the stems of said flowers and having a split base and rim, said rim being adapted to embrace said flower and prevent the flower from being mashed or crushed when said garments are packed for shipment or when they are hanging on racks or otherwise crowded together prior to and during the time they are being sold.

Although my device was primarily intended to protect artificial flowers, as aforesaid, I find it is also adapted to be used for the protection of many other fragile and crushable items, one example of which being the ribbon bows or other decorations on boxes of candy.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a flower protector generally in the form of a shallow cuplike member having a discontinuous rim thereabout, a base having a smaller hole therein, said base having a central slot therein in alignment with the discontinuous portion of said rim, said base being formed integral with said rim in certain areas adjacent to the discontinuous portion of said rim, thereby making the device extremely flexible so that the device may be swung apart and with the base in contact with the surface, it may be slipped under the flower and by bringing the two halves of the small hole about the stem of a flower, the rim embraces the flower, and forms a fence which prevents it from being mutilated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a molded cup-like member having a generally flat two part base with adjacent edges thereof, forming a slot dividing the base in half, each part having an opening therein matching the other and cooperating to embrace the stem of an artificial flower, and a rim about said base parts and joined thereto, said rim having a vertical slot therein in alignment with the adjacent edges of the slot-in said base at one end thereof, said rim having a substantial portion opposite said vertical slot free or detached from said base portions and flexible so that said rim may be grasped with both hands and separated prior to sliding the base portions beneath an artificial flower on a garment, following which the base openings, urged toward each other by the elasticity of said rim embrace the stem of the flower, while the rim surrounds and protects the flower per se from being crushed, mashed or otherwise being misshapen.

Other objects of the invention will be aparent to those skilled in the art, upon a perusal of this specification and a study of the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates one form of the invention by way of example:

Figure 1 is a view looking down into a cup-like member comprising one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is view of the member from the bottom end thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure '4 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view of thedevice similar to Figure 1, except that the rim is flexed prior to slipping the base portions under-an artificial flower to embrace the stem there: of, so'that the rim may then be released to embrace and protect the flower; and

Figure 6 is a view of showing the device properly positioned about the flower in a single operation.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, my new and improved device 10 comprises a generally cup=like body having a base comprised of two generally semi-circular portions 11 and 12, separated by a slot 13, 13. Intermediate the ends of the slot 13 are two generally semi-circular openings 14 and 15 which are adapted to embrace the stem portion or portions of artificial flowers.

Surrounding and extending upwardly from the base 11, 12 is a rim portion 16 which has a gap 17 therein which coincides with the slot 13. The rim portion 16 is formed integral with the base portion 11 through an arc of approximately and is separated from the base portion 11 by approximately one half of a circular groove 18, the integral portion being designated by the numeral 19 in Figure 1, and extending from the left extremity of the groove 18, to the left edge of the rim gap 17.

In a like manner, the rim portion 16 is formed integral with the base portion 12 through an arc of aproximately 90, and is separated from the base portion 12 by the other (right) portion of the circular groove 18, the integral portion being designated by the numeral .20 in Figure l, and extending from the right extremity of said groove to the right edge of the rim gap 17.

When the rim 16 is grasped by both hands and the rim extremities on each side of the gap 17 are urged in the directions of the arrows in Figure 1, the rim portion 21 which is freed from the base portions by the groove 18 functions as a flexible spring, and as the lower end of the slot 13 is widened sufficiently to pass over the stem of an artificial flower, and is then released, the springy rim portion 21 causes the device to return to its normal state, and the entire rim may embrace the flower to which said stem belongs.

I also contemplate removing portions of the material from the base and/ or from the rim, in any desired patern for lightening the weight of the device and for saving molding material.

In using the device, it is flexed as described. above, and the then widened slot 13 slides over the stem 23 of an artificial flower 22, making sure that the base portions 11 and 12 are beneath the flower 22 so that the semi circular openings may embrace the stem close to where it joins the body of the flower. Then the device is released, and due to its springiness, the edges of the slot 13 move toward each other, the semicircular openings 14 and 15 embrace the stem, and the rim 16 embraces the flower, thereby providing the maximum degree of protection for the flower with a minimum time of application of the device to the flower.

Now as to applying protectors to other articles to prevent them from being crushed, the protector may have the same general form as described herein, the cup may be deeper in some instances or it may be shallower and larger in diameter in instances, for example where the protector is used to protect bows or other decorations on boxes of candy.

It will also be understood that although I have shown the cup-like member as having a rounded body, make devices up with other forms, such as triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, and many other polygonal forms.

Although I have herein shown and described, by way of example, one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that I am not limited to the exact details shown, as many changes may be made in the arrangement within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In a protector for fragile items, a molded cup-like member of resilient material having a split base with curved matching openings formed centrally therein and adapted to conjointly embrace a portion of said item, a rim about said base and integral therewith, a vertical slot in said rim in alignment with one end of the split in said base, and arcuate slot means extending between said rim and said base across the end of the slit remote from said vertical slot and severing said rim from said base along a substantial part of its periphery, the extremities of said end of the split in said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Taylor et all June 4, Goldman July 31, Levandowsky June 15, Harvey June 8, Singer Feb. 12, Post Apr. 18,

I FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 19, Austria Apr. 10, 

